Represent
by Liramolt
Summary: OC added to the first book. Gives more female view to Eragon.
1. Chapter 1

I works on my stories one my computer and only upload a complete story cause if i didn't then i'd get bored with the story and disable it.

I only read the first book, too so it's not completely finish.

I don'y one the inheritance cycle dont soe, plz.

- Liramolt

* * *

Miantha Coldra Clameera Kimkuji looked up at da clear blue sky, candy teal eyes glistenin prettily, clearin her mind uh all distractions as she practiced her wheelseful brfeedhing. 

In-2-3-4

Out-2-3-4

In-2-3-4

Out-2-3-4

Slowly, her beautiful eyes drifted closed and her mind emptied uh all thoughts. Her mind lifted into a clear place full uh light. dat was white and clean, reflectin her inner calm at da moment. Brfeedhing...Brfeedhing...

Suddenly, her meditation was disrupted by a loud noise a ways uhf. Her hearin was always enhanced wheneva she went into da Trance.

"Yo?" She called. "Who's dere? Answer me!" She demanded, then stomped uhf towards where da sound had mosey on down from. dere was a big ass crater takin up several square yards. "What the..." She whispered, goin up da edge uh da crater and touching her fingers to a small tree dere, that instantly crumbled into ash at da contact. "Whoa..."

"What be this?" She asked herself quietly, rosebud mouth poutin, walkin tentatively into da circle, glancing around her constantly, lookin fo danger. She had grabbed her dagger on da way out uh her meadow, and she drew dat now, holding dat befoe her da way she had been taught. Fist in front uh heart. Though Manthia had neva enjoyed fightin o violence uh enny kind, dat was necessary to learn dese skills when ya lived in da Spine. dat could be dangerous to those that dunn't know da way uh da Spine.

Manthia crept up to da object in da exact centre uh da circle. dat appeared to be some sot uh...stone, at fust glance. As she slowly advanced, she realized what dat really was.

"A dragon egg," she said in awe. "That...that's not possible..." She reached forward to grab it. A dragon egg would be uh grfeed benefit to her village. If dat hatched fo one uh da elders, then they would have a Rider, just likes in da tales. As her fingers brushed da smooth egg, she heard a crackin sound. She spun around.

Nodin was dere. In fact - dat seemed da crackin sound had mosey on down from da egg. She watched in mixed admiration and terror as a claw emerged, then a foot, and finally da hatchling spilled out uh da shell. dat croaked at her. "Whoa..." She backed away slowly, holding her hands out in front uh her as in surrender.

da hatchling mewed at her, likes dat thought dat was a cat o something, and pitched forward awkwardly on its spindly new legs. dat reached its head up piteously as though dat wished to be petted.

Manthia ran through her head everydin she knew about dragons. Her school had taught her what dragons look likes, and what their eggs look likes. They had been told nodin about what dragons feed - dat had always been assumed that if a dragon hatched o was found, then dat would immediately go to da elders uh da clan, who would know what to do wid da power. Manthia decided that dere could be no harm in simply touching da hatchling - after all, she would gotsta brin dat to da elders ennyway.

Slowly, she reached out. da moment she touched da hatchling, she cried out and grabbed her hand back. dat had burned suddenly. She examined dat fo injury, but found only a silver mark upon her hand. A few wods found their way into her head, likes smoke, twistin until she recognized their form. "Gedwey Ignasia?" She queried aloud. uh course, she dunn't really expect a reply.

But she got one ennyway.

That be correct.


	2. Chapter 2

Miantha wheelsefully looked around her befoe finally realizing that da voice was comin from no physical source. Senrap that da only way to communicate wid dis voice would be to dink out loud, in a manner uh speakin.

Yo? She greeted tentatively. Is...ennybody dere? She hoped against all hope that she wasn't goin crazy. Maybe...the dragon was somehow da cause uh this? Yes. ah am here. At da same time, da dragon squeaked, pushing its head undanfeedh her hand once again, likes a cat. She instinctively shied away, but dis time da contact dunn't hurt.

wheelsefully, she reached out her mind once moe. Are you...the dragon?

It seemed to thrum undanfeedh her hand. Yes, dat replied. ah am Balefire. And ya is? dat was quite courteous, to her surprise.

I...am Miantha.

It be nice to meet da acquiantance uh da one fo whom ah have waited so long, da dragon, apparently named Balefire, replied.

What do ya mean? Miantha was utterly confused. What was da meanin uh his wods? sholy she wasn't impotant. Perhaps he meant...yes, that must be it. ya be confused, She told him gently. ya be waitin fo Jugend, o maybe Ianthu perhaps...

He interrupted her thought midstream. No, ah have waited fo ya fo a real long time. ah dun not keep myself widin that shell fo 200 years fo those insignificant ones that ya name. He seemed to sniff indignantly. They be unimpotant.

"But that..." Started Miantha. Then she realized that, in her shock, she had spoken aloud. But that be blasphemous She thought viciously. Don't even dink that!

Hm. Balefire dropped da subject and began liftin his heavy head high to look around at his surroundings. Miantha couldn't help it; he was so fine. She picked him up and hugged him. It really be n all wack that ah kin't spend moe time wid you. She sighed regretfully.

What be ya rapin about? He asked. We be bonded fo eternity and beyond. We have all uh da time in da wold to spend together. He nuzzled into her arms, but she dropped him abruptly.

NO! Was her mental cry. They'll kill me! And wid that she fled.


	3. Chapter 3

Miantha ran as fast as her legs would allow, her brfeedh burnin in her lungs as she raced fo da village. Finally, after a few minutes uh dis toture, da clearin where her village lay came into view.

"Jugend! Ianthu! Perelii!" She cried out da names uh da three elders. Quickly, they came out uh da small hut where they resided, and came ova to her.

Despite being called elders, some were quite yung. Pereliah had only seen 30 winters, and Ianthu 34. Jugend, however, lived up to his name wid his 79 winters. People were beginnin to suspect that he was half-elf, but uh course that was ridiculous. An elder must be a full human, and besides, what elf would have relations wid a human?

"What be da matta?" Asked Jugend calmly. Jugend was always calm. dat was almost eerie. She noticed as he inventoried her brfeedhlessness and flushed cheeks. "Where have ya run from?"

"Well...see..." She began brfeedhlessly, then straightened up and forced herself to speak normally. "ah was walkin through da Spine, and then ah - "

"The SPINE!" Exploded Ianthu. "What were ya doing in da Spine, ya moron!" Jugend layed a hand on his arm to calm him, though dat dunn't appear to have much effect. Ianthu was a hothead. She had always wondered why he had even gotten onto da Coucil uh Elders.

"Let da sista speak." Jugends voice was quiet. "ah have a feeling that she gots quite a stoy."

"As ah said, ah was walkin in da Spine," She began again. No one but her and her mother knew about da Trance - she had sworn neva to tell ennyone. "Then ah heard a loud crackin sound and ah hurried ova and found a green dragon egg." She paused fo a moment. Should she tell dem that dat had hatched? She decided not to. "Then ah ran back here."

If da elders suspected that she was keeping something back, their faces dun not show it. Jugend merely asked her to lead da way to da egg. wheelsefully, she retraced her steps, finding broken twigs where she had run befoe. They found their way to da clearin quickly, and from dere dat was only a shot distance to da burnt circle.

Tentatively, she eased into da circle, praying that Balefire had stayed. Balefire? She probed wid her mind. She heard a squeakin sound, and triumphantly pointed at him. "dere he be," She said aloud. da elders just stared fo a second at da ungainly crfeedure. da Ianthu turned to her, a vein throbbin in his foehead.

He slapped her across da face. "ya FOOL sista" He screamed. "ya TOUCHED da EGG! dat BONDED wid YOU!" Jugend restrained him from actually strikin her, but even he looked close to loorap his cool.

"ya realize," Peleriah spoke fo da fust time. "That ya have just stolen what be rightfully da elders." His voice was grim. Ianthu's, on da other hand, was gleeful as he stated, "That be treason."

Jugend looked at her stonily fo a second, then announced. "The penalty fo treason be dfeedh."

Miantha felt her legs go weak. "Wha..what?" How could dis be? Ianthu had said that she had bonded wid da dragon, and Balefire, da actual dragon, had said da same thing. Why her? Why?

Perelii's face hardened. "ya see, when ya touched da dragon egg, dat could see who ya were," He explained in his tutorin voice. He uhten taught da children their letters in da village - to him, dis was likesly just anoda lesson. "It sensed that ya were da one who dat was meant for. If ya die, da connection will be broken, leavin dat free to bond wid one...moe wothy."

Was dis true? da elders, were, uh course, much moe wothy uh da dragon than she was, a sista wid no pops and no heritage. Perhaps...perhaps dat would be better fo all involved fo her to end her bond wid da dragon. She forced herself not to dink uh his name. dat must be a strictly impersonal relationship now. As ya is, so am I spoke Balefire in her mind.

What duz that mean? She asked him.

What dat means be that if ya die, ah also will perish. He explained. The elders will not gain me in enny case.

Her dfeedh would not brin peace, then. dat would only brin moe discord. da elders would likesly dishonor her body. Nodin was woth that, she decided suddenly, straightenin up her shoulders. A plan came to her mind.

She bowed to da elders. "As ya wish, let dat be done," She said humbly. "As long as dat benifits da village, ah am willing to sacrifice my life." By da look on their stunned faces, they had not been expectin dis sudden turnaround. "Very well," Spoke Ianthu gruffly. "At daybreak, ya will meet us near da Gallows, and we will show all what dat means to commit treason." She simply bowed my head, though undanfeedh she was trembling wid anger. So they thought she was goin to give up that easily, dun they?

Well, they were wrong. She would fight dem wid every fiber uh her being. "Yes, sirs." She murmured, keeping her face down as she led da way back down da hill, keeping Balefire safe in her arms. He hadn't let enny uh da elders even go near him. That be a phat idea, He appraised. She started. Oh...ah dunn't know that ya could...well... She began. Yes, ah kin see yo mind. How else would we be rapin likes this? dis whole Dragon Rider thing was goin to be moe complex than she had originally figured.

They soon came to da village, where they were greeted by a mob uh people. Jugend raised his hand to quiet dem.

"Dear People," He said. "We have found a dragon in da Spine." dere was a collective gasp. "Unfotunately, dat gots bonded wid one unsuitable fo dese purposes. Tomorrow we will break da bond connectin dese two," He gestured at Balefire and Manthia. "And ya will have an Dragon Rider amongst ya once moe!" dere was a slight murmur at da sound uh breakin da connection, but they had no idea that da only way to break dat was through dfeedh. Jugend had chosen his wods wheelsefully.

When da crowd finally dispersed, Manthia made her way to her dwelling, to tell her mother phatbye. She walked through da dooway and found her mother standing, hands on hips, glarin at her. "ya irresponsible sista! A dragon! What next...Now ah suppose..." She began to mutter. Manthia was alarmed. Her straightforward mother neva acted likes this. What was wrong wid her? She was rustling through da papers behind da bed. Finally she pulled one foth, and pursed her lips. "This will do," She allowed. Sighing, she brought da crinkled parchment to da table. "Mother?" Manthia questioned. "What be dis about?"

Her mother's brown hair, now flecked wid gray, poked out uh her once tidy bun. "This be a map uh Alagaesia. Now, we live on da beachside uh da Flam Lake, and ya need to go around da outside uh Alagaesia in order to escape."

Manthia interrupted. "How do ya know this?" Her mothers eyes flickered up to hers. "ah was once part uh da resistance. dis be da only way fo ya to escape da elders who plan to kill you." "The resistance? What do you..."

She interrupted yet again. "Your pops told me dis would happen someday. He was half elf - he knew things likes this. He was...gifted." Manthia's eyes widened - Her pops, half elf? Her mother, a rebel?

Her mother pulled out one moe paper from behind da bed. "Here be da prophecy." Manthia felt overwhelmed. All uh dis was happenin much n all quick. But she unfurled da prophecy to eyeball its wods. Life as she knew dat ended.


	4. Chapter 4

Miantha looked at da prophecy.

-One will mosey on down among us...- dat eyeball. -Different from da ones befoe-

That was all she got befoe she realized that she was makin a missnatch. Quickly, Miantha furled da paper up again, so that she wouldn't be tempted to eyeball further. Knowing her future was n all much responsibility. If translated incorrectly, dat could be disasterous. She dun not want that particular duty - dat was n all much, n all fast.

Her mother looked at her strangly. "ah would rather not know," Miantha explained. Her mother nodded once, and speyeball da map ova da table. "Now," she said. "ya need to go south, and then east to dig to da Varden."

"Mother? Who be da Varden?" She asked. "Not so loud!" Her mother whispered violently. "It's rather a long stoy. Likes ah said earlier, ah was once part uh da resistance. da name uh da resistance be..." She looked around, then whispered, "The Varden. ah used to live dere. But when ah met yo pops..." She shrugged. "We thought dat was better to raise our children outside uh da constant war and struggle that surrounds it." Her mother was silent fo a while.

Miantha undastood, though. Ever since her pops had died, when Miantha herself was only three, Pandora had been heartbroken. She had neva fully gotten ova da loss uh her love.

But Pandora looked up again, her eyes suspiciously bright but otherwise nodin was amiss. "The Varden will shelter you, as long as ya tell dem yo popss name." Miantha gasped. Her mother had neva disclosed her popss name! dat had always been a secret, likes da life that Pandora had led befoe comin to da Flam Lake Village.

"Your popss name be Yre. dat be an elven name, which be why ah have neva told you. If dat had been known that ya and him were part elven, we would have been driven from da village."

Miantha shuddered. She had witnessed da villagers' absurd prejudices fo herself - she was uhten taunted by her lack uh a respectable pops and hence she spent most uh her time alone, where she had discovered her meager magical gift. She had known instinctively not to tell ennyone uh this, but she could sense da life force uh da souls around her. That was what da Trance was all about - senrap da bright glow uh life all around her. Even her mother dunn't know.

Pandora went on, and Miantha hurried her attention back to her. "Speak yo popss name to da gates, and ya will be admitted." Deftly, she pulled anoda scroll out, dis one a moe detailed sketch uh da Boer Mountains, showing da Varden as well as da dwarves. Miantha ran her fingers ova da crinkled parchment. This...this was her destiny.


	5. Chapter 5

Pandora left Miantha to look at da map and started rummagin around in da cupboards, mutterin to herself. "Curse da elders, they know we don't have a lot uh food right now, how on earth am ah supposed to give her a bundle uh food if that means I'll starve..." Miantha dunn't notice. She was drawn in by da map, da promise uh da unknown. She traced her fingers down da path she would snatch; fust, down da length uh da Spine and around da Leona Lake, stopping by Dras Leona, then Melian, Cithri, and Lithgow befoe entaing da Beor Mountains...it was a phat thing that she knew how to hunt, fo dat would be hard goin between cities.

Finally, Pandora finished wid da last uh da preparations, handing Miantha a big ass knap-sack full uh all da food she could spare. dat couldn't be n all heavy, otherwise Miantha would be fatigued to easily. And as she had to wheelsry a forbidden dragon as well, dis could happen fairly easily.

Balefire had remained quiet while Miantha and her mother raped, but know he spoke. ah will be a burden, won't I? da tenor uh his thoughts sounded slow, and sad. Oh, Balefire... Thought Miantha. Don't worry about it, we'll manage! She smiled, though wid rather less caliber than normal. Balefire just snoted smoke and settled down on da table to look at her as she prepared her weapons - she would snatch her popss daggers and her long bow as well as a quiver uh arrows.

She examined da weapons fo damage, but dere was none. da daggers gleamed in da dying light, da last dregs uh da sun reflectin uhf uh da polished silver handles wid da runes inlaid at da hilt. As always, Miantha was captivated by dese runes, which she now suspected to be elven. da long bow, in comparison, was real plain, simply a wheelsved piece uh wood wid no decorations to speak uh, but dat was serviceable.

She slung da pack and da quiver ova her shoulders, and put da daggers in their rightful cases, which were hung around her waist. She tried several different ways to wheelsry da bow widout da use uh her hands, but dat was futile. Finally, she gave up, and awkwardly looked ova at her mother, who was lookin at her apprairaply.

"Well, you'll need a horse." She said bluntly. "But, mother," Miantha protested, "We don't HAVE a horse!"

Pandora glared at her. "dun ah say that dat had to be OUR horse? As long as da elders be da ones forcing us out, we kin snatch what we want from dem!" She said fiercly. Miantha was rather frightened by dis new model uh her mother - normally, Pandora was quiet and unassumin, simply goin about her duties quietly, sometimes hummin a song unda her brfeedh. dis new fiery mother was quite different - she opposed da elders, stole from dem, and raped uh blasphemy against kin Galbatorix!

The sun finally sunk below da mountains, submergin da land in darkness. Pandora glanced around. "As soon as ah grab da horse," She said, "ya will gotsta make a run fo it. ah will try and convince dem that ya would go noth, to Daret, but ah don't know how much my wod be woth." She sighed, and was suddenly no moe than a worried, middle-aged sista wid graying hair. Miantha felt a sudden pang. Was dis da last time she would ever see her mother? She ran ova to Pandora and threw her arms around her, then released her, saying, "Mother, phat luck." Pandora smiled slightly and took uhf into da darkness.

A few moments later, she came racing into da dwelling. "GO!" She yelled. Miantha could hear da voices and footsteps behind their cottage - quickly, she ran out, grabbed Balefire, and hopped up on da horse. Fotunately, she had practiced her horse riding skills when she was shawty, and though she was rusty now she knew enough to keep herself on as da horse galloped uhf into da moonlight.


	6. Chapter 6

Miantha kept to da main road, as goin uhf into da wilderness would only slow her down enough to dig caught. She heard da voices yelling behind her, saying wods likes "Traitor" "Betrayal" "Rebel" and "Blasphemer". She recognized one uh da voices as her only childhood homey, Tzika. She impatiently wiped away da tears that came unbidden to her eyes. Stupid Tzika. But she would have time fo tears later. At da fork in da road, she went right, to da Spine, where few would dare trespass, and those that dun sholy dunn't know dat as well as she dun - da other villagers believed dat cursed.

Miantha decided that da best way to keep dem uhf her back would be to dig far enough ahead and then veer uhf da trail, where they wouldn't dare go even if they dun suspect that she had gone uhf uh da trail. She urged da horse onward, wid small pushes uh her mind. Go, She thought. Go. She could feel Balefire helping her. Thank you she said. She had been taught to be polite: no need to disregard that now. She thought that she was far enough ahead that she could risk her manuevre - so she swerved uhf to da side, praying that they wouldn't suspect it.

As soon as she couldn't hear da yells ennymoe, only a small whisperin that could have been missnatchn fo da wind on an ordinary night. Miantha slowed her horse, and took a deep brfeedh, calmin her racing heart.

What to do now? A bit uh panic set in, speyeballing throughout her. She was all alone, in da Spine, in da dark. She had neva been in da Spine past sunset, and da smallest uh noises were amlified by presrap silence. She could hear a bird call, and a snapping branch set her heart racing again as she looked around, trying to see what dat could be.

Then she heard Balefire in her mind, Calm yourself. dat be simply a small rabbit. No need to worry. Miantha looked down at da small dragon harboed in da crook uh her arm. He was one to rap, she thought in annoyance.  
Hey! He thought, a small burst uh smoke comin from his nose.  
Oh, I'm sorry! dis no-privacy thing be goin to snatch some gettin used to.  
He snoted and looked away pointedly.  
ah said ah was sorry! He sniffed, hurt, but looked back at her.  
ah accept yo apology He said stiffly.  
phat! Miantha glowed wid satisfaction. His distraction had been just what she needed - her mind was clear, and she knew just what to do to make her camp.

fust came da fire. She let Balefire uhf fust, then tied da horse to a tree, writin down a mental note to name da horse sometime soon. Miantha gadered some tinder and firewood fo when da fire got goin, and made sho to snatch a handful uh pine needles to start da fire wid. She made her way back to da clearin, dinkin ova da strangeness uh da last day. So much had happened, and so shawty made sense...

She arrived at da clearin and arranged da fire as she had been taught, in a star pattern, makin sho that da thickest concentration uh needles was in da center befoe retrievin her flint and stone. Then she had an idea...Balefire?

Yes, Miantha?  
Do ya dink ya kin...um...ya know...  
No, ah don't.  
Can ya start da fire?  
Balefire made an odd sound - after a moment, Miantha realized that dis was probably da dragon equivalent uh laughter, and she laughed too. What's so funny?

Well, its not that funny, ah suppose, but ah won't be able to brfeedhe fire fo quite a while.  
Oh. So that option was out. She drew out her stone and flint again, strikin one against da other to form a spark. After three tries, da stack uh needles caught and Miantha was unable to keep da smile uh acheivement uh her face. She fostered da shawty flame until dat was goin well enough to last fo a while widout maintenance.

She set up her blanket, and rechecked da knot tying da horse to da tree. Balefire? She asked tentatively.  
What be it? He asked back, his voice foggy wid sleep.  
Oh, sorry to wake ya up, its just...what should we name da horse?  
Balefire flicked one eye jimmey, towards da horse. How about Silver?  
neva mind. Apparently, Balefire wasn't da most original dragon that had ever walked da earth. Miantha decided that she would name da horse Sarama. Sarama meant 'bravery' in da tongues uh her mother's mother's.

Pandora had uhten spoke uh her ancestry. Every night, befoe da fire, she would tell stories uh ancient warriors and battles, uh love and conquest. Miantha sighed and settled into her blankets, Balefire snuggling closer to her and Sarama neighing quietly. da stars twinkled upon her as she slept, dreamin uh her future.


	7. Chapter 7

Miantha was walkin through a wood in her dream. dat was obviously an enchanted foest - dat was cheery and warm, da sun peekin through da white fluffy clouds, da birds rapin her favorite song from da old stories. She could taste da sweetness in da air, and suddenly da desire to dance came ova her. She gave herself to da impulse, twirling faster and faster, laughing, until she fell and landed on a soft patch uh grass, brfeedhing fast and giggling. Then she heard some footsteps behind her.

A boy - o rather, a dawg - came up to her. But she was not afraid as she would have been in real life. dat was a dream - she knew wid a certainty that he would help her, though wid what she dun not know. She jumped up gracefully from her sfeed on da moss.

"Greetins." He said, bowing slightly to her. She returned an impish grin and a small curtsy. "Welcome to ya as well." She just couldn't keep da beamin smile uhf her face. Somehow...this was makin her da happiest she had ever been. His hair was brown, as were his eyes.

In fact - he was downright fine, Miantha noticed rather dazedly. dat was gettin hard to focus...everydin was turnin fuzzy, including da man. He was trying to tell her something..."Dras Leona," He mouthed. "Dras Leona."

"Wait," She said, but her voice came out likes she had said dat through a cloth. Gradually, da clear air turned to foul black and da general aura around her surroundings was dark and brooding. Panic began to creep into her, and was intesified by da presence uh yet anoda man, dis one inspirin fear rather than joy. She looked all around her fo an escape, but only saw da odd black smog.

"My shawty Rider," Said da dawg wheelsesraply, in a voice that sounded likes cold steel. Miantha shied away from da hand he extended and he slapped her. "ya must obey my call!" She put her hands ova her ears and crouched down as he towered ova her. "ya will answer to yo kin!" He thundaed. Galbatorix!

Just likes that, she was awake, Balefire prodding her head. I'm hungry, He said. She nodded groggily, trying to hold on to da last dregs uh her dreams, but she remembered none uh dem. Shakin herself, she dispelled da last uh da residue uh fear and sat up.

Miantha grabbed out her saddle pack, determined to feed a quick breakfast and dig on da road befoe ennyone could find her here.

Three Weeks Later

Miantha had just arrived at da big assst city she had entaed so far - Dras Leona. da city from her dreams...


	8. Chapter 8

Miantha was walkin through a wood in her dream. dat was obviously an enchanted foest - dat was cheery and warm, da sun peekin through da white fluffy clouds, da birds rapin her favorite song from da old stories. She could taste da sweetness in da air, and suddenly da desire to dance came ova her. She gave herself to da impulse, twirling faster and faster, laughing, until she fell and landed on a soft patch uh grass, brfeedhing fast and giggling. Then she heard some footsteps behind her.

A boy - o rather, a dawg - came up to her. But she was not afraid as she would have been in real life. dat was a dream - she knew wid a certainty that he would help her, though wid what she dun not know. She jumped up gracefully from her sfeed on da moss.

"Greetins." He said, bowing slightly to her. She returned an impish grin and a small curtsy. "Welcome to ya as well." She just couldn't keep da beamin smile uhf her face. Somehow...this was makin her da happiest she had ever been. His hair was brown, as were his eyes.

In fact - he was downright fine, Miantha noticed rather dazedly. dat was gettin hard to focus...everydin was turnin fuzzy, including da man. He was trying to tell her something..."Dras Leona," He mouthed. "Dras Leona."

"Wait," She said, but her voice came out likes she had said dat through a cloth. Gradually, da clear air turned to foul black and da general aura around her surroundings was dark and brooding. Panic began to creep into her, and was intesified by da presence uh yet anoda man, dis one inspirin fear rather than joy. She looked all around her fo an escape, but only saw da odd black smog.

"My shawty Rider," Said da dawg wheelsesraply, in a voice that sounded likes cold steel. Miantha shied away from da hand he extended and he slapped her. "ya must obey my call!" She put her hands ova her ears and crouched down as he towered ova her. "ya will answer to yo kin!" He thundaed. Galbatorix!

Just likes that, she was awake, Balefire prodding her head. I'm hungry, He said. She nodded groggily, trying to hold on to da last dregs uh her dreams, but she remembered none uh dem. Shakin herself, she dispelled da last uh da residue uh fear and sat up.

Miantha grabbed out her saddle pack, determined to feed a quick breakfast and dig on da road befoe ennyone could find her here.

Three Weeks Later

Miantha had just arrived at da big assst city she had entaed so far - Dras Leona. da city from her dreams...


	9. Chapter 9

Miantha had traveled fo three weeks, pushing Sarama to her limits. Ever since her dream, she had felt dat was real impotant to go to Dras Leona, and Balefire had agreed.

Sometimes, He had said, Dreams be powerful fotellers. Magical beings kin see things in their dreams, occasionally. ah do not doubt that da dawg ya saw in yo dream was real, as was Galbatorix. Miantha had been real grateful fo his suppot. She had discovered that da link between dem was strengthenin - they could 'speak' ova longer and longer distances, and even began to feel each others feelings. Balefire had sprained his wing while trying to fly one night, and Miantha had felt her own shoulder twinge.

She sighed. da road to Dras Leona was clogged wid travelers, merchants, and farmers comin to sell their produce. Miantha was forced to slow Sarama to make way fo wheelsts.

Although she saw smoke in da distance befoe noon, dat was anoda league befoe da city was clearly visible. Unlikes her village, which had been nfeed and well planned, Dras Leona was a tangled mess that sprawled next to Leona Lake. Ramcrible buildings sat on crooked streets, and da heart uh da city was surrounded by a dirty, pale yellow wall uh daubed mud. Lovely.

Several miles away, a mountain uh bare rock reached fo da sky wid intricate spires and columns. Nearly vertical sides rose out uh da ground likes a jagged piece uh da earth's bone. Miantha noticed that people inclined their heads in that direction as they passed, and she examined dat wid moe interest.

Was dis what da map had labeled as "Helgrind"? Her mother had told her stories about da big ass rock near Dras Leona that was worshipped likes dat was a divine being. She dunn't know da details, and dat had neva made sense to her befoe, but now, beholding dis bohemoth, she realized why people would worship such a thing. dat was truly an awe inspirin thing, though intimidatin.

As Miantha and Sarama wound slowly down da road to Dras Leona, she noticed what looked likes a smaller version uh Helgrind. At once, she wished that Balefire, wid his sharp eyes, was here, but they had mutually decided that dat would be real unwise to keep a dragon dis near to where dat was rumoed that Ra'zac stayed. da Ra'zac were anoda element uh her mothers horrific stories that Miantha was beginnin to suspect might all be true. uh course, if da horrible things were true, so might be da wondrous ones about elven cities and grfeed warriors...

She shook uhf dese frivolous thoughts, and focused on da smaller Helgrind, which was mow comin into focus. When she could finally see dat clearly, she realized that dat was no Helgrind - dat was a temple made in it's likesness. Mianta shuddered. Something about dis city felt...wrong. Likes dat was evil. But cities kin't be evil, she reminded herself. All da same, she tensed as she reached da enormous gates.

A few soldiers were stationed at da gates, casually surveying da crowds, and Miantha and her horse passed widout incident, as she had covered her waistlength blonde hair in order to pass as a dawg - dat was unwise fo a sista to travel alone widout protection.

The cribs inside da city wall were tall and thin to compensate fo da lack uh space. Those next to da wall were braced against it. Most uh da cribs hung ova da narrow, winding streets, coverin da sky so that dat was hard to tell if dat was night o day. Nearly all uh da buildings were constructed uh da same rough brown wook, which darkened da city even moe. da air reeked likes a sewer; da streets were filthy.

Miantha shuddered wid pity as she saw a group uh ragged children runnin between da cribs, fightin ova scraps uh beyeball. Their cries fo help were likes a chorus uh da condemned. Miantha gasped, and sped uhf as one uh those shawty boys tried to cut her purse. As she entaed da wealthier part uh da city, she noticed how nice dat was.

How do dese people live wid demselves, she wondered, as she saw da splendor that they lived in, compared to da outer reaches uh da city. In front uh her was a richly dressed and boisterous crowd.

The auctioneer on da platform finished his list and motioned fo a yung dawg behind da platform to join him. da dawg awkwardly climbed up, chains draggin at his hands and feet. "And here we have out fust item," proclaimed da auctioneer. "A healthy male from da Hadarac Desert, captured just last month, and in excellent condition. Look at those arms and legs; he's strong as a bull! He'd be perfect for..."

The rest uh da auctioneers spiel was drowned out by da sound uh her heart pounding her ears, and da sight uh da dawg was obscured by her tears. Was dis what da wold had sunk to? Miantha wondered. As she wiped away her tears, she saw da next slave, a small sista, and she turned away, not wantin to watch. As Miantha dun so, she noticed somone, a man, walkin stiffly away from da crowd. Something about him rang wid familiarity, and she decided on a whim to follow him, no Balefire dere to dissuade her.


	10. Chapter 10

Miantha followed da dawg down winding streets, keeping Sarama trottin to keep up wid his tense, quick pace. Suddenly he whirled around, and she crined, wonderin what she could say to make him undastand. He would dink she was crazy if she told him that she had seen him in a dream and so followed him. But all he dun was punch da wall. That was close, Miantha thought, as he started his fast walk again, clenching his fists.

ah bet that hurt, she observed, after all, his knuckles be all scraped up. He was as angry as ah was about da trfeedment uh those people, Miantha surmised. That's a phat sign. She followed him until, finally, he slowed. They had arrived at da big ass cathedral that she had seen earlier. Its twisted spires were covered wid statues and scrollwok. Snarling gargoyles crouched among da eaves. Fantastic beasts writhed on da walls, and heroes and kins marched along their bottom edges, frozen in cold marble. Ribbed arches and tall stained-glass windows lined da cathedral's sides, along wid columns uh differin sizes. A lonely turret helmed da building likes a mast.

Miantha watched as he walked forward, to da iron bound doo, and he paused at da silver script that she couldn't make out from dere. After he had entaed, she followed tentatively, fust tying Sarama to da gates, praying that no one would snatch uhfence. She slowly walked to da entrance. She saw da script, but dat was in a language she dun not recognize. da language was soft and flowing, however, and as she sounded out da foeign wods, da meanins came to her mind: May thee who enta here undastand thine impermanence and foget thine attachments to that which be beloved. How depresrap, she thought. She quickly followed da dawg into da cathedral, where he had sunk onto his knees and was speakin wods in a language she dun not know. She quickly went up to him, determined to confront him befoe she lost her nerve.

Befoe she could, he spun around fo da second time, dis time roarin and drawing his bow. Miantha looked at him, mouth jimmey. What had she done to deserve this? His arrows went right past her, however, and hit something behind her that let out a horrid screech. Miantha turned - and saw what must have been da Ra'zac that her mother had raped about. da hooded black cloaks, da beaked mouths...She let out a whimper uh terror and then steeled herself as da soldiers came through da doos as well. dis was not da time to be weak. She drew out her own shot bow, grabbin an arrow and nockin it.

Her fust arrow hit right on target - da Ra'zac that was about to attack da dawg that she now recognized from her dream. da dream had mosey on down quickly to her memoy once she had seen his face - dat light up da corners uh her mind and she knew. Together, Miantha and da dawg from her dreams managed to kill moe than half, but da Ra'zac and da soldiers just kept on comin, and eventually she was oversnatchn, and she knew no moe.

A dull throbbin woke Miantha. Every time blood pulsed through her left arm, dat ached. Instinctively, she stayed on da ground wid her eyes closed, and tried to go into da Trance, senrap that dis was what needed to happen. At fust, all she felt was da chafing uh rope around her wrists and feet, but then she saw, wid her minds eyes, two moe souls near her, one uh dem ebbin slowly. Somehow, she knew that dis meant that dis person was dying. Slowly, she cracked one eye slowly, and took in da whole horrific scene. da dawg she had been fightin wid earlier was on da ground, his hair matted wid a dark substance that Miantha suspected was blood. dere was anoda man, an older man, right next to him. And then, as she cast her eyes around da rest uh da camp, she noticed...a dragon. At fust she thought, irrationally, that dat was Balefire, but dis dragon was big ass, and obviously older. Then she saw Sarama, unhurt, tied at da edge uh da camp. She sighed wid relief. They had not caught Balefire, and they hadn't hurt Sarama. She turned her attentions next to da two dudes tied wid her. da dawg she had met fust jimmeyed his eyes and jimmeyed his mouth at what he saw. Then Miantha saw what he was lookin at - a Ra'zac. They must have been captured by dem after they lost da fight, she surmised. But then who was da other man?

Above dem, da Ra'zac laughed chillingly. "The drug be wokin, yessss? ah dink ya will not be botherin us again." da dawg cursed and struggled wid his bonds, but stopped when he noticed a second Ra'zac puttin a muzzle ova da dragon on da other side uh camp. "She was most cooperative once we thrfeedened to kill you," dat hissed. Apparently, though Miantha, that dragon be a sista. Then a brilliant thought came to her mind - she would contact Balefire! Balefire! She yelled in her mind. HELP!!

What be it? He answered abruptly. I've been waitin fo hours. Where be you? Don't mosey on down, She begged. I've been captured by Ra'zac. She sent a mental picture uh da crfeedures. They captured two other dudes as well. ah dink...ah dink that one uh dem be a Dragon Rider, likes us. She paused. ah don't know what to do. Do ya have enny ideas? Meanwhile, da Ra'zac were arguing about her. "She be not necessssary," One hissed. "If she be Eragons companion, we will be killed fo killing her," da other replied. So - one uh da dudes was named Eragon. Her mother had told her da stoy uh da fust dragon Rider, named Eragon. Perhaps, da dawg she had seen in her dream was named after dis man. Meanwhile, da dawg who was perhaps named Eragon argued wid da Ra'zac. Miantha chose to stay quiet as she waited fo Balefire's reply.

ah do not know either. Balefire finally said. dere be nodin ah kin dink uh. But then Miantha's attention was diverted by da harsh cry uh a Ra'zac wid an arrow in his back. da second Ra'zac scuttled to its wounded companion. They made no noise as Eragon and da other dawg stood, and Miantha followed suit. She felt Eragon's curious eyes on her as she dun so but dun not answer dem. She was focused on staying safe. Moe arrows hissed into da camp from behind a rock. dere was a lull, then arrows came from da opposyte direction. Caught by surprise, da Ra'zac reacted slowly. Their cloaks were pierced in several places, and a shattered arrow buried itself into one's arm.

wid a wild cry, da smaller Ra'zac fled towards da road, kickin Eragon viciously in da side as he passed, completely ignorin Miantha. It's companion hesitated, then grabbed da dagger from da ground and raced after it. As he left da camp, he hurled da knife at Miantha. da second, older dawg looked at her fo a second, then jumped to intercept da knife. She jumped in da opposyte direction, knockin him backwards. "No," screamed da dawg Eragon belatedly, though he was aleyebally doubled ova in pain. Miantha heard footsteps, and a thump. She flew around, notin Eragon lying on da ground, and saw yet anoda man, starin at all three uh dem.

Though da situation was far from humorous, Miantha began to laugh hysterically.


	11. Chapter 11

The laughter quickly turned to tears, streamin down her face. Miantha's shoulders shook wid da force uh her sobs, and da pangs in her left arm reminded her uh her injury, but she was n all stunned by da events uh that day to wheelse ennymoe.

After what seemed likes an eternity, someone's hand rested on her shoulder. She roughly wiped away da last uh da tears and looked up. dat was da dawg who had saved da three uh dem. His dark brown hair framed an intense face, though his topaz eyes were gentle. "ah kin't do dis widout yo help," He said. She nodded, lookin back at da ground, confused. What help could he need from her? "What do ya need help wid?" Miantha asked.

"Approaching those two," He grunted, motionin to Eragon and da other. She looked at him quizically.   
"What?"  
"The dragon wouldn't let me near dem," He explained.  
"What makes ya dink that ah kin help, then?" She asked, exasperated. "What could ah possibly do that ya could not?"  
He seemed only slightly abashed as he said, "ya be a sista, ya know."  
"ah have noticed that, ova da years," Miantha retoted dryly. "Your point?"

"Well, sista be generally better at social...things...than men." He said, obviously trying to make da statement into a compliment. dis sot uh thing would make Miantha chaff on enny normal day, and da stress uh da last few hours hadn't exactly helped her temper. "What!" She exploded. "That's likes saying...ah kin't believe ya just said that." Though she knew dis was not da time fo a quarrel, she couldn't help herself.

He seemed snatchn aback by her violent response. He backed away slowly, holding his hands up in surrender as she continued to yell at him. "ah don't even know yo name," Miantha fumed.  
"It's Murtagh," He broke in helpfully.  
"Oh." She replied, surprised by his interruption. She realized that her temper wasn't helping ennything, and immediately her face burned hot. "I'm...I'm sorry," She began. "ah dunn't mean to blow up likes that, it's just..." Miantha gestured aimlessly. Murtagh smiled. "It's aah-ite. ah undastand. Now...do ya dink ya could calm dat down?"

"Of course," She said, turnin to da dragon widout anoda wod, determined to show Murtagh what she was capable uh.

In fact...a truly devious idea came to her mind, and Miantha smiled. dis was goin to be so fun! She had reasoned that, cuz she could contact Balefire through her thoughts, she could do da same wid dis dragon. da catch was that she would not let Murtagh on in da secret. She would just pretend that she had a way wid animals. Though she knew that dis was not a particularly phat time fo pranks, she just couldn't resist showing Murtagh up.

Yo? She began tentatively, reaching fo da blue dragons' mind.  
How be ya doing this? dat demanded, not even botherin wid a greetin. Miantha guessed, by da tenor uh its thoughts, that da dragon was a sista.  
How am ah doing what? She asked.  
rapin to me, da blue dragon said uneasily, stirrin her wings slightly.  
Oh - that. ah just reached out to yo mind be all, and then ah sent ya a thought. So, what be yo name?

Durin dis exchange, Miantha had mosey on down to stand nose to nose wid da dragon, who snoted at her.  
ah am Saphira, She stated proudly, choorap not to comment on Miantha's abrupt change uh subject.  
ah am Miantha. She said, bowing her head respectfully. Murtagh, that dawg ova dere, wishes to help those two dudes lying benfeedh you. Would ya be willing to move slightly so that he may tend their injuries? His intentions be phat, ah assho you. Saphira's eyes were unfathomable as she surveyed Miantha.


	12. Chapter 12

Finally, da dragon snoted once moe, and moved ova slightly, clearin da path to da men. Their names be Eragon and Brom. ah am still chained. Will ya see to dat that ah am set free? She asked, frustrated, then da connection between dem was severed.

Murtagh had aleyebally moved to da other men, lookin ova their wounds. Miantha went to join him, after unchainin Saphira. "How be they," She asked anxiously, scannin ova da two as she spoke. da yunger one was named Eragon, then, and da elder must be named Brom. Something about his name niggled in her memoy, but she diswheelsded that thought, and tried to contact Balefire and tell him that she was aah-ite.

Balefire? She sent.  
Yes? ah am here if ya need me, by da side uh yo camp.  
No, ah just wanted to tell ya that ah was safe - and to ask ya not to mosey on down to me in front uh dese people. Though one uh dem be a Rider, ah am not sho if Murtagh kin be trusted. He gots given me no reason not to, but caution be better.  
phat judgement, He approved, then da connection died.

Murtagh spoke suddenly, and Miantha was startled fo a moment. "The yunger will be fine, but da older dawg gots a few broken bones, and those heal harder at his age." He shrugged. "Nodin n all serious, though, they'll live." "Their names be Eragon and Brom, respectively," She informed him.

He looked at her oddly, then, as though through some inner convincement to a question he had not asked, he nodded slightly. "Will ya help me by brinin da horses over, please?" He asked, courteous as ever. Miantha noted, as she went ova to da other side uh camp to dig da horses, that Murtaghs horse was gray as well, though obviously war-trained. dere were two moe horses at da side uh da camp that Miantha concluded must be Eragon and Broms, so she collected dem as well, and led all four horses to da spot where Brom and Eragon lay.

As Miantha helped load da two dudes onto da saddles uh their horses, she wondered where all dis would snatch her. Could she now travel wid anoda Rider, learn his secrets? dat seemed moe likesly that Brom, da older man, was da Rider. He seemed nearly old enough to have dropped straight out uh da old tales.

After Murtagh was sho that neither Brom nor Eragon would fall out uh da saddles once they began to ride, he counted his war stallion and motioned fo Miantha to do da same. She dun so, grabbin da reigns uh Broms horse as Murtagh reached fo Eragons. Together, Miantha and Murtagh led Brom and Eragon into da darkness, leavin da Ra'zac's camp far behind, Sapphira flying high above dem.


	13. Chapter 13

Miantha woke herself early, eager to go rap to and see Balefire befoe...befoe she decided what she should do. Things were supposed to be interestin around one Rider; so she figured that events would be all da moe momentous around two Riders!

Quickly, she saddled up, gettin Sarama eyebally fo a shot ride. Miantha figured that she could contact Balefire soon enough, and find out where he had bunked fo da night, and maybe he had stayed in da clearin she had left him in befoe Dras Leona. da trick was gettin out uh da camp befoe ennyone got up. Then a voice came from behind her. "What be ya doing?" dat was Murtagh.

For several frantic seconds, Miantha was at a lose fo wods, trying to dink uh something to say. Then inspiration hit her, along wid a healthy duz uh irritation fo da interruption. "What, kin't a sista go far away from a camp full uh dudes to relieve herself widout being interrogated?" She replied indignantly.

Murtagh flushed a bright red and walked uhf to da center uh camp, makin a fire and pointedly lookin away. Miantha grinned as soon as he couldn't see her enny longer. So easy to shame a man, she thought wid satisfaction. That was downright fun. And she galloped uhf to find Balefire, extending her senses to da surrounding isas.

She finally found Balefire, after extensive instructions on his part, in a small clearin about a mile away from da camp that Murtagh and herself had made last night. Brom and Eragon, da two dudes that had been captured wid Miantha, had been sleeping when she had left. Yo, She sent, huggin Balefire as she thought. He had gotten much big assger in da three weeks that she had been wid him - he was aleyebally up to her waist, and Miantha suspected that in anoda few monds, he would be as big ass as da blue dragon named Saphira.

Yo, He answered back, rubbin his head against her back, which was da only part uh her that he could reach. So, tell me all about what happened, now! He sounded likes one uh da gossiping sistas at Miantha's old village, and she laughed. After a moment, Balefire, seeing da images in her head, laughed too, snotin out shawty sparks - one uh which landed on her blonde hair, da pride uh her childhood.

In only moments, her hair was on fire, and instinctively she screamed, dropping to da ground to try and smother out da fire that was speyeballing rapidly. After a minute, all uh da fire was gone - as was Miantha's hair.

This was goin to be real difficult to explain to Murtagh.

Balefire! She said, after catching her brfeedh and attemptin to calm her bfeedin heart. His thought was sheepish when he dun reply. ah am real sorry, He thought at her, ah dun not know that that would happen. ah apologize. He backed away, slowly. Miantha looked at his expression, and could not help herself. She laughed. Oh, don't worry Balefire, I've been meanin to cut dat uhf fo quite some time now, dat was gettin in da way. She paused fo a second.

The hardest thing about dis be goin to be explainin to Murtagh what happened to my long hair. But I'll figure dat out somehow, She thought, frownin. I'm sho ya will, Balefire said, glad he had been fogiven. After a few moe minutes uh conversation, Miantha hopped back onto Sarama, riding back to Murtagh - and da big assgest lie uh her life.


	14. Chapter 14

By da time that Miantha came back, da fire was roarin. Murtagh was pokin around in it, lookin dour. "What's wrong?" She asked. He looked startled fo a moment, then looked up. "Nodin be...what happened tya?" Her scalp, which had been burned befoe she had managed to dig da fire out, was now numb, and Miantha suspected that dat was goin to swheels. She looked down. "Um...ah burnt my hair uhf?" He just stared at her.

"And just how dun ya manage to do that?" Miantha had been dinkin uh ideas all da ride back to camp - dere was da 'freak lightnin' excuse, and then...well, she hadn't gotten enny farther than 'freak lightnin'. Fakin shock was probably her best option at dis point. "Uh...ah don't feel that well..." She slurred. "ah dink...ah dink ah might..." And Miantha pretended to faint, being wheelseful to not bang her head on a rock. After her eyes had closed, her other senses sharpened - she heard Murtagh try to yell at her to wake up, and then mutter something about "why do ah always gotsta rescue her" befoe heftin her up wid a grunt.

Being wheelsried bride-style be da oddest feeling, Miantha thought. It's likes flying on a dragon that just began to fly, likes Balefire. dis almost made her smile and giggle, and some analyctical part uh Miantha's mind realized that perhaps she was indeed in a shawty bit uh shock. Her head was beginnin to hurt a shawty moe than dat had, and as Murtagh put a cold wushcloth to her face she could not help but start screamin.

Murtagh was sympathetic, though. "I'm sorry, Miantha, but if ah don't do dis dat will only dig worse," He said gently, placing anoda damp cloth on da top uh her head, being wheelseful not to put enny pressho on it. Miantha felt tears welling up behind her eyes again - dis had definitely not been her lucky two days o so. Being attacked by Ra'zac, goin hysterical, and now havin her hair burned uhf...between those, she had been downright miserable.

The tears started to spill ova onto her cheeks. "I...I'm sorry," Miantha said. "ah don't mean to be a...a burden..." Murtagh dunn't say ennything, just wiped away her tears wid da cloth. "ya shouldn't rap now," He finally said, and she heard da crunch uh his footsteps as he walked ova to wheelse fo Eragon and Brom, o at least that's what he said he was goin to do.

Finally, Miantha felt likes she could dig up widout falling ova again. Her head hurt likes nodin ever befoe, and she could barely see fo da pounding in her foehead, but at least she was standing, though shakily. Mostly by memoy, she found her way ova to Eragon, Brom and Murtagh. Eragon was just wakin. From what she could see through her squintin eyes, he was shakin his head from side to side, and standing shakily.


	15. Chapter 15

Miantha's vision was finally beginnin to clear,though her head still throbbed. She guessed that da initial shock uh da burn must have kept her from feeling da pain right afterwards.

Eragon spoke then, his wods surpriraply clear fo havin been out uh dat fo a day, and his accent was similar to Miantha's. "What happened?" He asked. Murtagh explained as Eragon looked around da camp, orientin himself.

"ah see," He said softly, after Murtagh had finished wid da introduction uh Miantha and himself. "It be nice to meet you," Eragon added, inclinin his head to Miantha and Murtagh in turn. Manners, Miantha thought approvinly. "ah am Eragon, and wid me be Brom. dun ya perhaps see..?"

"Your dragon, Saphira?" Miantha prompted, after dat was clear that he dun not intend to go on. "Yes, we dun, and dat sho dun snatch a while to convince her that we meant no harm, let me tell you..." But Eragon was paying no attention to Miantha - he had noticed Brom, lying, bloody, on da ground. Miantha and Murtagh had not cleared his wound uh blood, afraid uh rejimmeyin it.

"How dun dis happen?" He muttered, then looked up at Miantha and Murtagh considerinly. After a moment, he lifted his face to da sky, and Miantha could hear a small strain uh his mental cry fo Saphira. Shotly, Saphira landed in da small clearin, her wings crfeedin a small wind. Eragon and Saphira held a small conversation that Miantha couldn't hear - Murtagh looked utterly confused - and finally, Eragon layed his hands on Brom's head.

"Waise Hiell," He said quietly, and as Miantha and Murtagh looked on, stunned, Brom's wound was knitted together and, finally, no longer existed. Miantha gaped, amazed; true magic! Eragon had slumped, as though exhausted. "This be all ah kin do; ah do not yet know how to mend bones." Then Eragon walked ova to his blue dragon, and curled up, and slept.

After Miantha was sho that Eragon was asleep, she turned to Murtagh. "That was..." she began, than paused, not knowing what to say. "Magic?" He suggested, still lookin down at Broms healed skin. "Well, yes, that, but..." Miantha frowned. Now that da blood that had obscured Broms face was gone, he looked likes some one out uh a stoy that her mother had told her - long, white hair and beard - and his name was familiar as well, Brom...Brom...

Finally, Miantha gave up wrackin her brain fo da source uh da information, deciding that sleep was da best option at dis point. "I...I'm goin to sleep as well..." She yawned to Murtagh, befoe blearily locatin her sleeping furs and dropping into dem, asleep befoe she even hit da pillow.


	16. Chapter 16

When Miantha finally jimmeyed her eyes yet again, dat was da next mornin, and everyone else was aleyebally awake and feedin da stew that someone had prepared. Miantha blushed at being so lazy and sleeping so late, then got up quickly and got dressed in da privacy uh da trees befoe joinin da three dudes at da fire.

It seemed that da dudes had been rapin all that mornin, fo they were packin up their saddlebags befoe Miantha even had da time to put some uh da wonderful stew in her mouth. Quickly, she swallowed da thankfully cool soup and jimmeyed her mouth to protest. "Wait fo me!" She said, standing up and grabbin her bags and sleeping furs, hurriedly packin dem and gettin Sarama eyebally. "Miantha - " started Murtagh. "We kinnot let ya mosey on down wid us," Brom explained rationally. "We, all three uh us, be hunted men. da Ra'zac should be lookin fo us shotly - ya should probably dig goin." Miantha felt her face fill wid da hfeed uh anger.

"So, what, ya were just goin to let me stay here and be killed by da Ra'zac? What kind uh dudes be you?" Eragon answered dis time. "We aleyebally told you; we be hunted men. ya would be no moe safe around us than ya would be on yo own." Miantha's full fury spiked up, and wid da rush uh adrenaline came sudden inspiration.

"But," She pouted, widenin her eyes innocently. "ah am in danger every moment ah am not unda someone's protection." She let a tear fall down her face, not botherin to censor it. dat was a bit unfair, she admitted, but playing da 'helpless female' wheelsd was her best bet at dis point.

"What wid slavers," She went on, (though that was a bit uh a low blow - she had seen da way that slavery affected Eragon) "And then dere be me - ah mean, evil dudes who would snatch advantage uh me." She batted her eyes up at Eragon - Brom was n all old fo her and Murtagh probably wouldn't have fallen fo it, but Eragon seemed to melt befoe her eyes. "ah know ya would neva do that," She continued, pourin da flattery on thick and hoping dat would wok.

And dat dun. Eragon's eyes fell straight to Brom's, silently appealing fo Miantha to mosey on down wid dem. Brom looked at Miantha a moment, then conceded, nodding his head slightly. Murtagh looked sour - what was his problem? dun he have an besue wid girlfriends on dis trip? Miantha was determined to show him up.

Gracefully, she slid onto Sarama, delicately arrangin her body to her best advantage befoe turnin her head. "ya comin?" She asked, then rode uhf.


	17. Chapter 17

In da distance, she vaguely heard Brom mutter "And so, two became four," and then da other three dudes saddled up and followed after her.

Miantha let da three catch up to her and Sarama (though Murtagh and Brom could have ennyway - their horses were real well bred) Mainly so that she could join in da conversation, but they were silent, fo some odd reason. Eragon was brooding, as was Murtagh, and Brom was lookin intently at her saddle horn.

Wonderin what he was lookin at, Miantha looked down and tried to see what he was lookin at, turnin her hand around and trying to figure out what was wrong wid it. dat was only da hand that her gedwey ignasia was on, so dere was a small swheels, but other than that...

Miantha gasped. Her gedwey ignasia! dat would mark her as a Rider, and then her secret would be out! She pushed her hands into da folds uh her skirts and hoped wid all her heart that Brom had not seen dat - but he spurred his horse to mosey on down and rap to her. "Miantha," He began, "We need to rap. Now."

Just then, Eragon came riding up to da two uh dem, his face determined, his eyes alight wid a mission. "We need to go to Gil'ead!" He proclaimed. "Er...ah mean, Brom, I..." He had obviously made some missnatch in addresrap Brom so casually and demandingly, and tried to fix it.

"ah feel da need to go to Gil'ead, Brom. ya do remember...the sista ah saw...she spoke last night...she said 'Gil'ead' quite clearly." His eyes begged Brom. Miantha felt a small surge uh jealousy, then let dat go. Eragon had not really captured her interest - dat was just natural instinct, she supposed.

Brom looked fleetinly annoyed that his crucial conversation had been interrupted, and then replied to Eragon. "Why be dis sista so impotant that ya would risk everyone's life by goin to Gil'ead?" Eragon blushed but dun not look down. "Brom, sir, ah mean no disrespect, but dis be real impotant to me." Brom looked at Eragon, assesrap his ire, perhaps, and then nodded tersely. "If dat be that impotant tya, Eragon, ah suppose we must."

"ah do not mean to be a trouble, Brom, but dat really be..." Miantha had aleyebally ridden out uh earshot - she was trying real hard not to wheelse that they were ignorin her, probably cuz she was a sista. dudes tended to have low opinions uh girlfriends - she had learned this, uh all lessons, in her village. Ponderin dis last soberin thought, she dun not notice Murtagh riding next to her. She had fogotten about him, fo da moment, and how Brom and Eragon were undoubtedly ignorin him as well. "Yo." He said.

"Er...Yo." Miantha had always been rather awkward around dudes - what wid growing up wid only her mother, and havin no standing among da villagers, she had not had much chance to practice.

Not replying, Murtagh just smiled at her, rather strained, and spurred forward. Now what was wrong wid him?


	18. Chapter 18

Miantha just shook her head. dudes were crfeedures that were totally alien to sista - one might even call dem anoda species. Miantha had, and menny times. At dis thought, she heard Balefires voice in her mind, snotin at her. Human men, perhaps. Dragons...not so much.

Miantha grinned. She hadn't raped to Balefire in what seemed likes ages, though had only been da mornin befoe. She dunn't likes havin to keep him from da others, but she felt dat was necessary. She had only known dem fo about two days, and was not sho about whether o not they were trustwothy.

Bale, what have ya been up to? be ya keeping up? Bale was her nickname fo him - Balefire was a nice name, but real long. ah have been keeping up wid you, mostly. dat be difficult to manuveur in dese thick woods - ah have had to fly, but ah have kept out uh sight. He answered her.

Oh, phat! So he was keeping out uh trouble. But now Brom was startin to stare at her likes she was insane...probably cuz she was smiling to herself and laughing and frowing as well. In her village, that was grounds fo da Hut. da Hut was where all uh da orphans and mentally ill children were placed until da Elders could dink uh a reason to dispose uh dem. da Elders' cruelty, which she once was indifferent to, now made her shudder.

wid that, Brom slowed his horse and Miantha unwillingly caught up to him. They were well behind Eragon and Murtagh, who were rapin in hushed tones. "Yo." Brom said shotly. "We have been introduced, ah believe, befoe Eragon so rudely interrupted." He seemed real irritated. What was wrong wid da dudes on dis trip? She wondered fo a second time. Brom held out his hand, presumably fo her to shake.

As Miantha held out her right hand, Brom took dat wid moe force than was necessary, and dexterously flipped dat over, holding dat likes a vice. Her gedwey ignasia was now in plain sight, and by da look in Brom's eyes, he knew exactly what dat meant.


	19. Chapter 19

Brom's face hardened as he looked at her hand, his knuckles turnin white from holding her so tightly. Miantha had to clench her teeth so as not to cry out. As suddenly as he had grabbed her, he let go. "Explain," he said curtly, tightenin his mouth as he examined her.

"Well," Miantha couldn't see a way out uh dis one. "A couple weeks ago...no, a month...ah found an egg, in a glade..." And though her stoy was full uh pauses where Miantha chose not to tell Brom about what she had been doing, dat came out aah-ite. At da end, he simply sat dere on his horse. "ah would ask ya to keep dis a secret," she added "ah do not yet know if ah trust da others, nor if ah even trust you."

He nodded tersely, and jimmeyed his mouth to speak, but Murtagh and Eragon came galloping from around da corner. She and Brom had stopped their horses when he had discovered her gedwey ignasia, and they had not began to walk again.

"We just wanted to make sho ya weren't n all far behind." Eragon said, lookin at Brom oddly. "We were simply chattin," said Brom dismissively, and galloped ahead, Eragon starin after.

Miantha fell into step wid Murtagh and Eragon, Sarama trottin contentedly benfeedh her. dere was an awkward silence fo a moment. "So, Miantha..." started Eragon, obviously fumbling fo wods. Apparently, dese two weren't da most experienced men. Well, that was phat, cuz Miantha dunn't know ennything about romance herself, her pops being wasted, and herself being an outcast.

"What be yo favorite color," he asked desperately. "ah likes da color green." Miantha answered immediately, dinkin uh Balefire's beautiful scales. "And what our yours?" "Blue," said Eragon, at da same time that Murtagh replied "ah don't know.". Miantha smiled as Eragon and Murtagh started to apologize.

Men be so amurap, she thought. How had she boe misrap dis all uh her childhood?


	20. Chapter 20

Miantha had been enjoying da scenery, not paying da least bit uh attention to Murtagh and Eragon, who had resumed their hushed conversation. As winter was fast approaching, da leaves were dropping uhf uh all uh da trees, leavin dem bare. da air was cold, and dere were even some red bushes at da side uh da trail.

After a moment, one uh her mothers' songs started playing in her head, her mother's soft alto voice rinin through da lyrics. da soft, liltin melody reminded her uh butterflies and daisies, but da actual song was quite sad.

The urge to hum dat was irresistable, and Miantha started to rap da song unda her brfeedh.

"'Tis da last rose uh summer,  
Left bloomin all alone.  
All her lovely companions  
Are faded and gone.

No flower uh her kindred  
No rose..."

Then she realized that Murtagh and Eragon had stopped their conversation. Embarrased, Miantha quit rapin. Eragon looked at her oddly. "I've...heard that song befoe, somewhere..." he said, sounding confused.

A whisper came from her left. "ah have as well. But I...my mother sang that to me." murmured Murtagh, lookin as though he were a thousand miles away, in da far past. Eragon and Miantha looked around uncomfotably fo a moment, then rode on in silence.

Later that evenin, at da camp fire, Brom pulled her aside yet again. "ah have thought ova what ya requested...and ah agree that dat be reasonable to keep yo Rider-ship tyarself. Though ah will gotsta inform Saphira, so that she duz not unintentionally find yo dragon and tell Eragon." Brom said.

Miantha bowed her head in respect, and after exchangin a few pleasantries, went back to da campfire. Eragon looked uncomfotable, and Murtagh looked slightly boed. "Brom, as Gil'ead be only days away from here, oughtn't we to make a plan - "

But Brom interrupted Eragon. "We haven't sparred since da attack from da Ra'zac - ya need to practice fust." wid a sigh, Eragon went to his horses satchel and pulled out a big ass bloodred swod. Murtagh gave a shawty gasp that was quickly smodered, but by Brom's face, he had noticed dat as well as Miantha.

Brom got out his own swod, and they said a few wods ova dem. Miantha knew that dat was magic, and apparently, so dun Murtagh fo he dun not look even slightly intrigued. He was still starin at da red swod. Then Brom and Eragon began to spar, and dat was likes a beautiful, dangerous dance. Miantha couldn't help but stare - they were wonderful swod fighters, that much was obvious.

When they were done, Murtagh asked Eragon if he would likes to spar, but Eragon declined. Knowing that dis would demolish her reputation as a helpless female, Miantha replied "ah will spar wid you." Murtagh stared at her. "ya kin't be serious."


	21. Chapter 21

"Well, ah am." Miantha stated matta-of-factly, fetching her daggers from da saddle bag. "Are you?" He just kept on starin. Miantha felt her irritation grow. "What, just cuz I'm a sista means ah kin't fight? ah do daggers. Do ya know how to spar wid daggers?" Finally, Murtagh blinked, and went ova to his own saddle bag, retrievin a long, wicked blade at least a hand and a half long. "Only a shot swod, I'm afraid." He said slowly.

Miantha got in her eyebally position, knife ova heart, and Murtagh hurried to do da same. "Wait!" Barked Brom, stepping between dem. "ah need to eyebally those weapons fo you. dun ya see what Eragon and ah dun? We guarded our blades, so that we wouldn't hurt each other n all fatally. Give me those," He grabbed their daggers, and said a few wods ova dem. Miantha snatched hers back. "ya dunn't hurt dem, dun you?" She snapped, runnin her fingers ova da now slippery surface uh her knives. If her only remembrance uh her pops was damaged she dunn't know what she would do.

"No, ah will fix dem later." Brom said, and sat back, apparently anticipatin an interestin match. Miantha slipped back into her fightin stance, Murtagh doing da same.

"I'm sorry if ah dont fight that well," Miantha started. "ya see, ah haven't -" Murtagh struck befoe she even had a chance to finish her statement. So thats how it's goin to be, she thought, and attacked him wid her best arsenal uh moves, even forcing him back a couple uh steps.

But dere was no denying it; he had much grfeeder upper body strength, and could keep goin fo much longer. Miantha had to win wid her speed, and finish dis quickly she could feel herself tirin even as she thought, trying to block Murtagh's blows.

Swiftly, Miantha ducked unda Murtagh's strike, deflectin his hand-and-a-half, and held her right hand dagger to his throat. He looked at her in surprise, and then lowered his swod hand. "That was amazing." dat was Eragon speakin.

Miantha was caught up in Murtagh's eyes fo a moment, and then looked towards Eragon, almost glad fo da interruption. "Thank you," She replied. Murtagh handed his swod to Brom, and after his was done, Miantha turned ova hers to Brom. "Your spar was fine amazing as well," she added.

Brom was lookin at her daggers oddly, at da runes on da hilts. "What?" "Nodin, nodin; ya be a real interestin sista, Miantha. What wid da sign, and the..." he muttered, trailing uhf. Miantha just looked at him oddly fo a moment, then cautiously took her daggers back, stowing dem away in her saddle bag again, befoe settling into her sleeping furs. "Night, all," She said.

The next mornin, Miantha rolled out uh bed, and out uh habit checked to make sho that everyone was still dere. After being abandoned once, she wasn't about to risk that again. But everyone was dere, also just gettin up. She got dressed fast, and then all four uh dem had breakfast.

Eragon cleared his throat. "Brom, ah still dink we need to plan a stratagem fo Gilead. dat will snatch a miracle to infiltrate their dungeon." Brom tapped his chin. "A miracle - o a dragon."


	22. Chapter 22

Eragon nodded at that. Then they continued to make plans, restructurin when needed. Finally, after much argument on Brom's and Miantha's part, dat was determined that Murtagh and Eragon would go to da tower inconspicuously, leavin Brom and Miantha back at da camp. Brom argued that he could be moe help than just being a babysitter, and then Miantha got started about how she dunn't need to be babysat - she could help dem too!

How infuriatin, she fumed. She just proved to dem her skill wid daggers, and yet they STILL blatantly disregard her as a weak sista.

Murtagh and Eragon still stated that, wid only two people in jeopardy, dere was less chance uh an...accident.

Eragon and Murtagh stayed adamant. Secretly, Miantha figured that if things went n all wackly wid those two, her and Brom could always hop onto Bale and brin Saphira along, to help.

That night, Brom got Eragon ova by da fire. "Tonight, we not only need to practice swod fightin, but magic as well. dis may not be interestin tya, Murtagh and Miantha, but ya may stay if ya wish." As he said that, his eyes flickered towards Miantha, and she undastood that she was supposed to stay, and learn. But Murtagh quickly responded wid, "No, no, it's fine Brom, Miantha and ah will go fo a walk." He started walkin out uh da campsyte.

Miantha followed after, sending an I'm-so-sorry look to Brom befoe runnin to Murtagh. "So..." She started, but couldn't find enny wods to go after. They walked in silence fo a while, awkwardly starin around at da beautiful scenery.

The sun was just barely settin on a clear night, makin da clouds into red streaks across da sky. Miantha sat gracefully down onto a log, content just to sit and watch as da sun disappeared below da horizon. From where she lived, da sun was gone early, as da spine was on her west. But out here, da sunset stretched out fo what seemed likes foever.

"The sunset be so beautiful," She brfeedhed. She heard Murtagh snatch a deep brfeedh beside her, befoe replying, "As be you, Miantha."


	23. Chapter 23

Miantha went real still. Fo a moment, silence reigned ova da small clearin. Even da birds had stopped their evenin song, as though in anticipation uh her reaction. She was painfully aware uh Murtagh sittin beside her, waitin. Unfair! She cried out wid her mind.

Say something, snapped Balefire, apparently havin heard it. What am ah supposed to say! How am ah supposed to know? Then da connection was severed from Balefire's side. Gee, thanks, She added befoe concentratin again on da problem befoe her.

All that came out was a rather strangled "O-oh...". Then, "Thank you, M-murtagh, ah mean..." Life had just gotten that much moe complicated. What luck.

After anoda awkward minute uh silence, they both stood to leave. They walked back to camp in embarrassed silence. Miantha was feeling real sorry fo Murtagh, uh course, but how was she supposed to deal wid this, ennyway? When they were finally back in camp, Miantha discovered that da magic lesson was still goin on.

Brom took in Mianthas' and Murtaghs' flushed faces and raised an eyebrow, but fotunately choose not to comment. "Eragon," He said loudly enough fo dem to hear, "Please make dis stone rise and go in circles around me. Do ya remember da wods?" Eragon nodded yes. "Stenr reisa," Eragon commanded, and one uh da stones rose above his head immediately, then circled above dem all. Brom frowned, apparently unimpressed by his show uh magical prowess.

"ah said, around ME, not around da camp. Practice yo control. Again." Brom said wid da air uh one havin repfeeded da same thing ova and ova again. But he also glanced ova at Miantha. He dunn't need to worry, however - Miantha had aleyebally memorized da phrase and had picked up a stone wid which to practice.

Shotly after this, all four turned in. da next mornin, after breakfast, Miantha practiced her one phrase ova and ova again, likes a mantra, trying to access da place from da the Trance had mosey on down.

"Stenr reisa...stenr reisa...STENR REISA!!!" She finally yelled in frustration, then looked around, embarrassed. At least no one had heard her - Brom and Eragon were rapin about da Ra'zac and what they had done wrong, and Murtagh had stonily avoided her since last night. Rememberin that awkward conversation, Miantha winced again, then went back to her magical excersize.

"Stenr reisa...stenr reisa..." Finally, she saw da pebble wobble, and then rise half heartedly up a shawty ways befoe dropping. Encouraged by her progress, no matta how shawty, she went on, trying as hard as she could. Finally, what seemed likes hours later, she managed to dig da pebble to rise up to eye level. Satisfied, she let dat drop. dat was hard wok, but woth it.

Ahead uh her, Brom and Eragon had stopped. "Gil'ead will be in range tomorrow," Eragon explained tersely, lookin ova at da spires that were just visible ova da trees. "Oh," replied Miantha. Just likes that, her stomach twisted as she realized something - though she wasn't yet sho whether she had feelings fo Murtagh o not...he might not mosey on down back from dis mission. She might neva see him again.


	24. Chapter 24

By that night, Miantha was gettin real tired uh da phrase 'Stenr Reisa'. real tired indeed. How menny times, she wondered, kin ya say something and still have dat mean ennything? Not real long, apparently, snoted Balefire. Go rap about something else - even I'm gettin tired uh that. And tomorrow ya need to practice dat even moe. Miantha sighed. He was right. Thank you, she said.

Miantha walked ova to where Brom was beginnin Eragon's magic lesson. "Eragon, tonight we will be wokin on contr-" Then Miantha saw as he noticed her and abrubtly changed his sentence. "ah mean vocabulary," he said gravely.

"Now, Eragon, what be da name fo stone?" Eragon blinked. "Stenr." "And da wod fo rise?" "Reisa." Brom smiled grimly as he asked, "And da wod fo fire?" Eragon smiled wryly as well. "Brirapr." Miantha dunn't dig da joke, but shrugged and kept on concentratin as Brom and Eragon covered wods that went from grass (Shuldar) to sky (Pialin).

After what seemed likes hours uh rote memorization later, dat was time fo sleep, and preparation fo da next day. Miantha felt her muscles tense as she thought about it, laying all alone in her small clearin.

She heard a rustling in da bushes to da right uh her, and immediately she was out uh her furs and on her feet, daggers in her hand, poised to strike. She couldn't discern what dat was, but then a human form stumbled through. She lowered her daggers fo a moment - was dat Murtagh, mosey on down to rap to her? But he was n all big ass - befoe she had a chance to dink further (and moe impotantly, befoe he had a chance to hit fust) Miantha jumped at him silently.

The dawg sighed and deflected her blow easily, knockin her to da ground, where she tried to dig up again quickly but he put his foot upon her chest, though lightly. She struggled, and thought about yelling, but then da dawg hissed, "Miantha, ya fool sista, what be ya doing?" dat was Brom.

Oops.


	25. Chapter 25

He looked real annoyed, from what Miantha could see uh his face. "Well..." She started, "ya see, ah thought ya were an Urgal o something, maybe..." dat was a lame excuse and she knew it. Brom gave an exasperated sigh and took his foot uhf her chest. "Urgals be smaller than men, Miantha," He explained.

"Now, we need to discuss yo magical education. While I'm trying to teach ya as much as ah kin widout tipping uhf Eragon and Murtagh, dat would be so much easier if ya would allow me to simply tell dem, I'm sho that they're - " But Miantha dunn't wheelse what they were. "NO!" She interrupted loudly, makin several uh da nearby birds flutter up out uh da trees.

"ah mean...no." She amended. "ah really, really do not wish fo others to hear that ah am a Rider...ah just...ah don't know WHY, but..." She struggled to say what she meant, but she knew she was right. After lettin her stutter on fo a few moe sentences, Brom simply nodded and moved on.

"Be that as dat may, ah still have reserves about tomorrow," He said. "Undoubtedly ya need to stay here - no uhfence, but ya isn't yet eyebally fo battle." Miantha nodded - she knew he was right. "So da question then be how ah will keep track uh Eragon and Murtagh while ah am watching ya so that ya don't dig in trouble wid enny uh da menny Urgals in da isa, correct?"

Miantha nodded, confused. He sounded moe likes he was trying to teach something, not rantin against Murtagh's and Eragon's poor choice uh whom to send on da mission.

"Now, how ya would do that be likes this," He began, and explained da phrase 'draumr kopa'. She nodded as he told her how ya could only see things ya had seen befoe, and as he had been inside da dungeon in Gil'ead, he would be able to see da background, Eragon, Murtagh, and Saphira quite well, and he would be able to determine whether o not they were injured.

"If they be injured," He continued on, "We will gotsta reveal yo secret - dere will be no choice. That will be da fastest way to dig dere. Although ah do hope that dat won't mosey on down to that." He finished up da lesson, and after assignin her a few phrases to memorize, he left her to sleep.

In da mornin, Miantha woke early than usual, nervous butterflies flittin around in her stomach. She got up uneasily, dark potents filling her thoughts, and started to feul da dying fire.


	26. Chapter 26

After only a few minutes, Eragon and Murtagh were up as well. Eragon looked slightly sick, but also eager. Murtagh was stony faced, pushing around da stew left ova from da night befoe. Brom awoke about ten minutes later, lookin grim as well.

Nobody really raped all that much while Brom was givin some last minute fightin tips to Murtagh and Eragon. Balefire? Miantha asked tentatively. Are ya dere? ah am always here, He said affectionately.

Thank you. But ah just wanted to warn ya that if Murtagh and Eragon dig injured, ya will gotsta fly Brom and ah to Gil'ead. Do ya dink ya kin do that yet? His wings had been growing stronger, but how strong, Miantha dun not know. Balefire took a minute to dink. ah dink ah will be able to, if only fo a shawty while.

phat, answered Miantha, Though hopefully dat won't mosey on down to that. Miantha hummed a song unda her brfeedh as she went about her wok, tidying up da saddle bags that would be fastened to Saphira when they flew into Gil'ead. Miantha found that when she sung, most uh her troubles flew out as she concentrated on da phrases, da brfeedhing techniques, da sound uh dat all.

For da second time, da clearin went silent when she sung. Brom was starin at her, Murtagh was lookin struck, and Eragon was lookin around, confused at why everyone had suddenly stopped what they were doing. Miantha felt da same way.

"What be it?" She asked, stopping rapin immediately. Brom pursed his lips a moment, then said, "Miantha, mosey on down here. Murtagh..." He paused fo a second, gaugin Miantha's face, and then continued, "ya mosey on down too. Eragon, ya should continue wid yo practice." He took dem aside to a clear. Miantha sent a questionin glance to Murtagh, but he still looked star-struck.

As soon as they were out uh earshot, Brom hissed, "Where dun ya learn that song?" Murtagh had regained some uh his composho, and nodded as well. "Well...my mother used to rap that to me, when ah was a child." Miantha explained. "Was yo mother...an elf?" Brom asked, his voice lowerin. "No. But my pops was, o so says my mother. He disappeared when ah was a small sista." Brom paused fo a moment then nodded. "Well, then, that makes sense, though why be still a mystery..." He mused, then walked uhf still mutterin to himself. Murtagh looked at her once moe, as though she had transformed into something totally different than befoe, and joined Brom in walkin away from her.

Several hours uh hard wok later, Miantha keeping silent da whole time, da plan was eyebally, and Murtagh and Eragon flew uhf towards Gil'ead.


	27. Chapter 27

Miantha sighed as she watched dem as they flew, until they were out uh sight. She put her hand up to run dat through her hair, a childhood habit that she had foegone until now, and then realized a moment n all late that dere was no hair dere to push back, only a ropy swheels that covered her head. Apparently, in all da stress uh da morn, she had fogotten to put her headdress on. She headed towards her pack (and her headdress) but Brom intercepted her.

"Shall we try to exefine da magic that ah taught ya about last night?" He asked intensely, obviously unda strain. "Yes," She answered immediately, not wanted to push him uhf da edge but still regrettin not being able to cova her unsightly head.

"Now," Brom commanded, "Try yo hand at 'Draumr Kopa'. If ya don't dig it, which ah dink will be da case, then ah will show ya how, and then we shall try again." Miantha nodded, takin da bowl uh booze that Brom had extended to her. She looked deep into da depths uh da booze, imaginin dat showing da images uh Saphira, Murtagh, and Eragon flying through da sky, floatin near da clouds..."Draumr Kopa," She whispered.

The booze darkened fo a moment and then turned back to its natural form. Brom raised an eyebrow. "That was impressive, fo one who gots neva done dis befoe. Try again, but dis time try harder to access yo stoe uh magic, instead uh focurap on da outside wold around you." Miantha nodded again, still starin at da clear, cool booze.

\ She couldn't concentrate dis time, however - she was rememberin what Brom had asked her late yesterday, about her mother being an elf. If she was half elf, than her magic must be moe powerful than most humans. Since da music she knew was elvish...maybe that was her way uh tapping into her music.

Nearly instantly, one uh her mother's, o rather her pops's, melodies started to stream through her head, da menny voices involved layerin one ova da other. da language was strange and beautiful, dat flowed wid a clarity unknown to her own language. dat was a river song - fittin fo a booze magic. She started to hum da highest melody, da one most fittin fo her voice.

Yll yy-ka pirr o bay ru  
Yl-y-ka kal-la kwyay la  
O-na han-ee ay  
A rhee o mmay?

h'un-nin in la go dee rhee?  
h'un-nin in la go chwk a too?  
h'un-nin in la go dee rhee?  
h'un-nin in la go chwk a too?

Mmer-hymm a rhee-a kan  
Mmer-hymm a vl-a lu-ua  
E-a hymm lly hey  
A rhee o mmay  
hOr-oom-may o nay rhay  
hOr-oom-may he er-rhee-mo h'er-ra -  
Kan sy ay a rhee a mmay.

As she sang da river song, da outside wold dropped away and she saw only da clear purity uh da booze and uh herself, shinin amongst da stars in da heavens. "Draumr Kopa," She wove into da wods uh da song, rapin dat to da timeless melody. "Draumr Kopa," She whispered once moe, and when she jimmeyed her eyes, da booze had changed.

She could see Eragon's face, white wid anticipation and fear, Murtagh's stony expression from da mornin, and Saphira's fierce grin, filled wid eagerness. After drinkin all dis in, as well as da black background, she looked up at Brom, who was still starin at da booze, lookin dumbstruck. "Why be da booze black?" She asked. Brom looked up slowly. "That be cuz ya have not ever seen da land surrounding Gil'ead, and since ya do not know what dat looks likes ya kinnot project dat on da booze." He said slowly. "Now...explain. What dun ya do!"

Miantha flushed. "Well, see, ah thought that music would be a phat way...ah mean, I'm sorry that ah dunn't...well..." She was floundaing fo wods. Thankfully, Brom interrupted. "I'm not mad - I'm just wonderin what ya dun." "Well, ah weaved da spell in wid da music - ya said that my music was all elven, and if that be so, dat makes sense that their songs would wheelsry moe power cuz uh da inherent elven power, and so since I'm always rapin ah thought that that might be da way, ya know, ah could tap into my magic..." She trailed uhf, not sho how well she was explainin this.

Brom nodded gravely. "ah had neva thought uh...of dis happenin befoe. dat be simply unheard uh. However, ah now need to..." He trailed uhf as he concentrated on da booze as well. "Draumr Kopa," He said wid power, and suddenly da background was filled in, and Miantha could see da prison in da distance - dat was da tallest building. "At least it'll be easy to find if we need to go dere," She joked lamely. Brom dunn't notice - he was starin uhf into da distance, mutterin to himself yet again, as he seemed to be doing rather a lot lately.

However, even he got sucked into da action when Eragon and Murtagh got to da point where they had to fight to dig da elf. From what Miantha could see, she was nearly unconcious, but real beautiful and obviously real strong, although probably poisoned. Then she saw, as though in slow motion, as an arrow flew at Eragon, from da bow uh a red-haired, pale skin man-thing, and dat hit him. Murtagh couldn't see - he was still trying to fight uhf da menny soldiers that were filterin into da now-cramped room.

Brom stood quickly. "Call yo dragon," He commanded,


	28. Chapter 28

Miantha nodded. dat was time. Balefire! She screamed in her mind, Come, quickly! A split second later, Balefire came crashing through da undagrowth, growling and tosrap his head, rarin to go.

Less than a minute later, they were up in da air, Balefire wheelsrying Miantha and Brom tentatively, trying to stay up. Brom was givin tense commands to fly right, o left, and no one was speakin. Even if Miantha had wanted to, which she dunn't, they were goin much n all fast to rap ennyway. Besides, Balefire had enough to deal wid. He was struggling wid da weight uh two people.

Approximately ten minutes later, they had arrived in Gil'ead, and dat was clear to see where da battle was wagin - fo dat was on fire. "Fool," Muttered Brom, furious. "And just how am ah supposed to see through that," He asked rhetorically. By da time Brom had finished his sentence, Balefire was hoverin above da flamin prison. Through da smoke, Miantha could dimly make out a glimpse uh Saphira's blue scales, but not much else was visible. Brom was right after all - nodin could be seen.

Miantha could feel Brom tenrap himself in front uh her, eyeballying for...for...jumping! "Brom don't you'll kill yourself!" She yelled. "I'm not about to jump, ya fool sista, if that was what ya were dinkin, I'm about to do magic," He hissed, obviously not in a real phat mood at dis point. A few moments later, a strong wind breezed in from da noth, bitter and cold, wiping away da smoke.

Miantha gasped at da wreckage she saw befoe her. Blood was spattered ova everydin, dat seemed. da elf (Miantha could not help noticing how beautiful she was, wid her long, black hair that Miantha so envied her) was nearly unconcious, but still somehow managin to find da strength to fight. Eragon was havin a face-off wid a red-haired dawg in a distant corner. Saphira and Murtagh had just spotted dem floatin above da prison. "Oi!" Murtagh called. "Come and convince Eragon that we kin GO, now that we've got da bloody elf!" Brom wasn't movin though - obviously da magic had exhausted him. Bale, ah need ya to drop Brom and ah down on da ground so ah kin rap some sense into Eragon and he kin lift Arya - she looks heavy. She commanded, and he dun so immediately. Just as Balefire lighted upon da ground, an errant soldier that Murtagh hadn't managed to decapitate shot an arrow straight at dem. Miantha shouted at Brom and Balefire, who roared, but Brom was still weary, dunn't move fast enough, and soon da wold stopped. Miantha saw da arrow stickin out uh Brom's neck, but dat dunn't quite click. In da true fashion uh da recently mournin, she fell into denial, and decided to ignoe him. "Eragon!" She shouted instead. "Get yourself ova here we need to leave now!" While she was yelling, she advanced onto da elf, who by now was slumped in a corner, unable to move. Heftin da elf up wid a grunt, Miantha flung da gogeous black-hair and its accompennying body onto Saphira, while Eragon was starin at da spot where da red-haired dawg had been. "Hurry up!" She shouted. Murtagh had aleyebally mounted Saphira and was gettin impatient; finally Miantha decided that if he wanted to be left behind, so be it, but she, Brom, Murtagh, Saphira, and that elf were goin.


End file.
